Checking out the other Planets

In keeping with a cosmic theme, here are some sites that have worlds similar to mine. I'm not sure what i want my blog to be about yet, but these are somethings that i'm contemplatin miixing and matching together


All Sands

This is kinda like a "how to" site, the link goes directly to the topic i found most interesting; cross country travel guides.

The B Side of Paradise: The Top Ten Jazz Records for Driving

If ur intrested in listening some new, fast pace jazz check out this site. It lists the top ten jazz driving records. (the Hoarace Silver album is my favorite)

Classical Guitar Net

This gives lessons, guides and advice to dedicated Classical Guitarists. A part of my blog will center around the steps i'm taking to prepare for a Classical Guitar audition.

Craig's List

While part of my blog will focus on guitar, much of it will include how i plan to find work in Albany. Craig's List is a helpful tool that will aid me in finding gigs and events. ("best of" section is pretty entertaining as well.

Divine Tao

The complete Tao Te Ching is available on this site, it's well put together. Also, i've noticed this has a slightly peculiar translation, seeming to have taken into account mass media undertones. example

Erowid

A research site, dedicated to documenting the "complex relationship between humans and pyschoactives."

The Folk Aliance

A resource for Folk musicians. As music is an essential part of my life, music may unconsciously come up in my blogs. The site reports music news and artist classifieds.

Horoscope.com

A basic astrology and horoscope page. It would be interesting to critically compare one's daily horoscope to one's daily life.

Hubble Site

The complete cata louge of Hubble telescope pictures, very cool for desktop backgrounds.

Last FM

i don't listen to the radio to much anymore, but when i do i listen to it through this site. Has a good varity of stuff, u can make playlists and its free. (the link takes to a sweet jazz piece)

Lew Rockwell: anti state, anti war, pro market

This is a poltical blog site that features a variety of guest politicians and writers. This site focuses more on stories other news sites leave out, especially concerning the federal reserve and other government institutions, Ron Paul is a regular writer.

Muggle Net

This is a Harry Potter fan site. It has many community forums discussing JK Rowlinlngs wizardingtheory and ideals. I think it would be interesting to not only observe and write my blog from my point of view, but also how a wizard might view that same situations?

NME: First for Music News

A news/reporting site geared specifically towards music and the music industry.

Raptor Jesus

Need i say more?

Road Trip America

Another cross country travel guide. however, unike All Sands, this site is solely dedicated towards road trips.

SpaceRef

Allot of Hubble telescopes pictures, etc. I love looking at telescope pictures.

What Would Uncle Jesse Do?

One of the more inspirational blogs out there, this site is all about what Uncle Jesse from "Full House" would do!

Technical Sites

Eblog Templates

A good source to find different blog templates and styles for free.

Fret.com

A good basic repair resource site. This webpage hosts discussions revolving round guitar Luthers.

HomeTracked

This is a great blog that deals with home and amateur recording studios. Has some great articles about creating cheap but quality home studios.

RockBand and Rock Bands

RockBand and Guitar Hero are pretty well-known videogames. And i suppose i understand the joy of sounding really good and rocking out to a song without ever playing an instrument....but what is this doing to the children playing the games?

well, i don't really care about what's happening to the kids playing these, but i AM concerned with what these games are doing to the music.

What is happening due to RockBand and Guitar Hero videogames?

• One: younger kids are listening to more of a variety of music then would be played on the radio ( I think? i'm only saying this because i was impressed that Eric Johnson's Cliffs of Dover made it to a Guitar Hero.)


• Two: music is fundamentally regarded to have the same value for practice and discipline as any form of fine arts or karate, ... clicking buttons a half second out of time with a shred solo is not shredding.
  

But, the above is water under the bridge, but the new RockBand video game is more like water destroying the bridge.

Ann Powers writes about generations. She states how young kids enjoy music written decades earlier then their existence. Right Ann, i agree, she also says that the new The Beatles Rockband both bridges generational music gaps, simultaneously proving that these bridges exist. I don't like to pretend to play music, but even when your pretending to play music, kids are forced to listen to the music their mimicking right?

Personally: I play many instruents and i've always resented Guitar Hero and its counterpart. Recently i've been learning a little more about it and as someone who apperictes music, i can def apericate Guitar Hero and Rock Band's deal with providing gamers and younger kids with music they normally wouldn't hear on the radio.

Just last week, my young brother, an avid Guitar Hero(er) asked me to teach him how to really play guitar. I feel like this is the best possible scenrio of those games, or at least, my brother understood those games in the right context. It may be fun to play a muti million dollar song without ever actaully learning how to play an instrument, but sometimes the ends jsutfiy the means.

The fact that my brother started with a game, then evolved to a physical guitar is encouraging to say the least.

My first blog post

cosmic is a big word, but not when your describing dust